Services dig deep to claim first league win of season

HARD-FOUGHT VICTORY CLINCHED WITH LATE SCORE IS 'MONKEY OFF OUR BACKS' SAYS MANAGER LEACH

- CONRAD SUTCLIFFE

DEVONPORT Services stepped on the gas in the last 20 minutes to come from behind and defeat Redruth 27-23 in a National Two West thriller on the Rectory Field.

It was Services’ first league win in nine starts, sealed with the last play of the game, and cause for some celebration down Stonehouse way.

Kieran Leach, the Services’ team manager, said minor changes made a major difference. Never saying die was one of them.

“We have been in similar situations before this season – in it up to half time then dropping off in the second – and that could have been the case again,” said Leach.

“Instead of letting the game get away we cut down the penalties we gave away and stopped doing stupid things.

“Most of all we have learned to keep playing until the final whistle. Now we have to keep doing it.”

Services remain bottom of the league table, with a lot to do to get out of the relegation places, but the psychological impact of that first win cannot be underestimated.

“It’s the monkey off our backs at last,” said Leach.

The first-half scoring was tit-fortat from the sixth minute onwards when skipper Matt Gregory was driven over from a Services line-out.

Matt Pritchard and Will Riglesford banked a try each for Redruth, the later converted by Dean Wills, for a 12-5 lead on 22 minutes. Services Billy Orchard cut the leeway to 12-10 with a try in first-half added time.

Redruth crept ahead with a second Pritchard try, plus two Willis penalties.

Services’ revival started with a Shaun Crawford try in the corner, followed by another off a scrum for Luke Stannard.

When Redruth went a man down with Chris Mills in the sin bin, Services pumped the penalty into the corner and set-up an attacking platform from the line-out.